barber pole

American  

Or barber's pole

noun

1. a pole with red and white spiral stripes symbolizing the barber's former sideline of surgery.

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Etymology

Origin of barber pole

First recorded in 1675–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

barber pole

“These guys need to be able to let loose and express themselves and their emotions,” said Matt, a mentor who cuts hair at a wing that includes two seats and a barber pole.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 18, 2023

They bought a light-up barber pole and a six-foot-long banner, a nod to a student fan group their son created with a friend.

From New York Times ● May 15, 2020

But, within weeks, he was at work on a chipper mural for the men’s lounge at Radio City Music Hall: orchestrated virilities of smoking, card playing, motoring, horse racing, sailing, and a barber pole.

From The New Yorker ● Jun. 13, 2016

I stopped to look at my new favorite tree: a sycamore on the northeast corner of the park, its gray-white bark smooth and striped like a barber pole.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 12, 2016

But halfway down the block from the bus stop there was a barber pole reflecting a candy cane of light from the window.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

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